Booker announced his decision on Sunday on Kentucky Educational Television, declaring that they could find common ground on crucial issues.
“The truth is that we have a lot more in common than otherwise,” said Booker. “And there are struggles that I lived in the far west of Louisville that are not partisan – rationing my insulin, seeing my lights go out, not having a place to stay, seeing loved ones battling drug addiction and looking for jobs leaving our community ever again will return. ”
Amy McGrath narrowly defeated Booker in the 2020 Senate Democratic primaries, carrying out a huge fundraising operation, the support of the Democratic campaign arm in the Senate, several unions and others who were attracted by his experience as a former fighter pilot .
But Booker’s offer from the left, publicizing his support for the Green New Deal (which he referred to as the “Kentucky New Deal”), universal basic income and “Medicare for All”, attracted the support of progressive leaders across the country. He emerged as a national voice during protests against police brutality and racial injustice following the police killings of George Floyd in Minnesota and Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky.
Last year, Booker, then the youngest legislator in Black Kentucky at age 35 and hailing from one of the poorest postal codes in the state, argued that his message was appropriate for the moment.
McGrath beat Booker by just a few points and ended up losing to Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell by almost 20 points.
This story was updated with further developments on Monday.